Review by Terri Clement
Art Through the Eyes of the Soul Oracle by Cheryl Yambrach Rose
Published by Daghda Vision S.R.O. and distributed by U.S. Games Systems, Inc., www.usgamesinc.com
ISBN-13: 978-1-57281-722-7
ISBN-10: 1-57281-722-4
The Art Through the Eyes of the Soul Oracle is a 52-card, beautifully painted, Renaissance styled oracle deck that the artist refers to as Neo-Mythic. Along with the deck, this set includes a small 108-page paperback book.
Cheryl Yanbrach Rose also released a book in 2010 with the same title which features 60 of the artist’s original oil paintings, 120 photographs and stories which are based on her experiences in the mythic landscape within which she lives and paints. Many of the images are featured in this deck. These mythical areas include Narnia, Avalon, Bohemia and Lemuria. There are also apps for the iPhone and iPad, which feature music and animation.
The deck itself is made up of fairly large cards, measuring 3 ½“ wide x 6“ tall and will require an alternative shuffling method for most riffle bridge shufflers. The card fronts have a gold floral ivy type border that measures almost ½” all the way around the card, with a cream colored banner on the bottom of the card that measures almost ¾” that contains the title of the card as well as a key phrase. The card backs have a narrow gold geometric style border and features a river cascading into a cave. In the foreground there is a woman (possibly a mermaid?) rising up out of the water. This image is also used for one of the card fronts. It’s title is Welsh Faery Glen.
Upon opening the lift off top of the box, there was a very heavy chemical smell, which dissipated over night. The cards are flexible with a shiny laminate with a gilded edge, but were clumped together just out of the box and had to be forced apart. I had to go through the deck 3 times in order to make sure all of the cards were “unstuck.”
The book explains how to use the oracle. The author recommends this deck for daily one card draws for guidance and meditation or a 3-card layout for present situation, influences and guidance. Cheryl also explains how to clear the cards prior to use and charging them with your own personal energy. The remainder of the book features the cards from the deck in alphabetical order (interesting side note, the deck was not in alphabetical order upon arrival), a small black and white image with the title of the card, an expanded meaning and information from the artist about the image.
The images themselves are quite stunning. Here are a couple of my favorites:
Redwood Shamanka – This card features a beautiful young woman with red hair. She is wearing what appears to be a leather poncho and there is a medicine bag around her neck. There is a grey wolf standing behind her, a white one sitting next to her and a black wolf curled up in front of her. The key phrase is “Retreat Into Nature – Solitude.” The expanded meaning is “Take time out for yourself. Leave the daily routine and return refreshed and renewed.”
Glastonbury Goddess – This card features a dark haired woman in renaissance styled attire in the foreground. She is holding a bowl in her hand. There is a fog rising behind her. In the background there is a soldier watching her. The key phrase for this image is “Accept the Opportunity That is Offered.” The expanded meaning is “Take on a worthy challenge, but pay close attention to the details before making a commitment.”
This deck would make a fine addition for those who would like a daily draw for inspiration and guidance. It would also be very useful for mediation and visualization. I also feel it would be of great use for writers looking for character, plot or landscape development. This deck can easily be used by the novice all the way through the professional.